Earlier in the month, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau of Public Health, Offices of Medical Cannabis, and Laboratory Services announced that Analabs Inc. has been granted a laboratory license to begin testing medical cannabis products. Different states have varying requirements for testing facilities, which are responsible for ensuring compliance with the state’s potency, packaging, and labeling requirements for marijuana products.
Having testing facilities analyze medical cannabis products is crucial for providing West Virginia patient’s the assurance that their medicine is safe and free of contaminants. As of this article’s publication, recreational cannabis remains illegal in West Virginia, however medical cannabis was legalized in 2017 when Senate Bill 386 was passed. The bill later went into effect in 2018, and patients had been waiting since its passage for the state to partner with a licensed testing facility.
Located in Crab Orchard, the goal of Analabs Inc. is to determine the safety of various medical cannabis products. In a broad set of experiments, Analabs Inc. is set to test a variety of cannabis-based products, including dry leaf products, tinctures, pills, THC oils, dermal patches, and topical forms such as gels and creams.
Jason Frame, the director of the Officer of Medical Cannabis, stated “The Office of Medical Cannabis has continued to advance this program to assure that safe, quality tested medical cannabis is made available to West Virginians who have serious medical conditions. We are pleased to have this next step accomplished.”
Current State of Cannabis Legalization in West Virginia
Businesses across the state have been granted growing, retailing, and processing licenses, and medical patient cards are expected to be given out later this year.
With West Virginia having approved Analabs to begin testing marijuana products for their safety, medical cannabis sales will progress as planned. This announcement signals a key development in West Virginia’s medical marijuana program, as no medical marijuana products can be sold to patients until they have been tested and approved by a licensed testing facility.
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